19 Replies

Thanks Jazzw, I did ask at the pharmacy attached to the surgery, where we collect our prescriptions, but they were very vague. After a lot of persuasion they found two brands and I've written to the makers who are passing me along a line but so far no information has come back. It's a very good idea of yours to try the pharmacist in town.

ThyrOid, I don't know whether there is a distinction between iron suitable for vegan and vegetarians but the vegetarian member in the link below was prescribed ferrous gluconate which her pharmacy was unable to source, although it is available online. She is currently supplementing Bluebonnet chelated iron she sourced without prescription.

It is extremely difficult to decide whether products should be classified as vegetarian or vegan unless they are obviously disqualified by containing animal products. The only answer is to ask each and every company that has potentially suitable products. Remember that even the definitions of "vegetarian " and "vegan" vary.

One randomly selected product (from Sandoz Ltd, as it happens) lists these ingredients:

Stearic acid EP

Magnesium Stearate EP

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate EP

Microcrystalline cellulose EP

Croscarmellose Sodium EP

Coating:

Opaglos HSE

Titanium Dioxide EP

Sucrose EP

Calcium carbonate light EP

Acacia SD EP

Purified talc EP

Mastercote White SP0962 (HSE)

Wax Polish (HSE)

You can probably fairly safely assume the Sucrose and Purified talc are vegan. But the Magnesium stearate and Opaglos leave you still unsure.

Details of many (but not all) products available in the UK may be found here:

Helvella, I didn't think you would have investigated vegan/vegetarian status I thought the list might be helpful for Thyr0id to Google ingredients and work it out from there or discuss with her pharmacist.

I thought that all NHS iron meds (ferrous fumarate/sulphate) were made from chemicals in a lab, not extracted from animals. My gastro (who is veggie and knows that I am) prescribed ferrous fumarate. Some brands have gelatine (but liquid ones don't). The Aver one doesn't.

Thanks Angel of the North, I am sure you are right about ferrous supplements being made in the lab and not coming from animals but the compound used to carry the active ingredient, so the tablet itself, often contains things like milk powder.

I've spoken to the local pharmacist today who recommended one type as vegan after reading the ingredients list but it happened to be one about which I'd already written to the manufacturer to ask and been told that it was not vegan.

Please could you tell me more about the Aver one that you know has no gelatine, so that I can contact the manufacturer and ask if it's vegan?

Must be missing the problem! If you can only get, say a product containing 30 milligrams of elemental iron, but you need 60... Take two? Or alternate two and one to get to 45 milligrams. Or whatever else to achieve any dose you like.

Certainly it might be more expensive. It could be a nuisance to remember. But I can't see why it can't be done.